1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to protective clothing adapted for use by health care workers and more specifically to an integral gown adapted to inhibit the transmission of blood-borne disease.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
As early as the 1890's protective clothing for health care workers was advocated in the prevention of disease transmission. Initially it was found that the use of rubber gloves during surgery resulted in a decrease rate of infection in patients. In more recent times, the focus has been on the prevention of bacterial infection of the patient. Surgical gowns, face masks, rubber gloves and boots have been widely used for that purpose. However, surgeons traditionally have paid little attention to their own risk of exposure to infectious diseases.
The failure of commonly practiced barrier methods to protect the surgeon and other members of his surgical team has been evidenced by the prevalence in surgeons of antibodies to hepatitis B, where the rate of infection is three to ten times that of the general population. In one large study, antibodies to hepatitis B were found in 28% of the surgeons. More recently, an increase in the number of patients having Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), has led hospitals and surgeons to become even more conscious of barrier apparatus and methods. In one prominent hospital, the prevalence of the HIV virus among the critically ill or injured patient almost doubled between 1986 and 1987.
While infection barriers are of interest throughout the health care environment, certain environments and procedures are particularly at risk. For example, contamination is very common in operative orthopedic procedures. In one study, 90% of the surgeons had been contaminated during some type of orthopedic procedure, and there was a particularly high percentage of contamination of the surgeons' faces. The operating room presents a particularly critical environment. In these environments where the profuse bleeding of ill or injured patients is common, one study indicated that health care workers took the time to don suitable barrier equipment only 19.7% of the time as compared with 62.9% of the time where patients were not bleeding. The haste of responding to trauma also reduced protection during the performance of major procedures (which usually required skill without delay) as opposed to minor interventions (which usually required less haste or skill).
The absence of suitable barrier equipment which is simply and quickly donned, has added to the liability of hospitals and increased significantly the health care workers's exposure to career limiting and life threatening disease.